Window blind



March 14, 1944. J. M. NOVOA WINDOW BLIND Filed Nov. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J A TTORA/EYS Patented Mar. 14, 1944 WINDOW BLIND Jose Manuel Novoa, Reparto Alturas de Almendares, Marianao, Cuba Application November 18, 1941, Serial No. 419,645

In Cuba March 26, 1941 V 1 Claim. (Cl. 26896) This invention relates to window blinds and it has for its object to provide a new and improved window blind construction in which, are omitted the slide guides or swing strips on which the blade journals are mounted and in which construction the blade journals are mounted direct- 1y on the window blind frame and the blades are attached to each other by means of a rod pivotally connected to the blades and which may be manipulated for raising or lowering it by means of a handle vertically slidable on a suitable guide formed in the rear portion of the frame and connected by a link to the inner rod joining the blades, thus avoiding the direct manipulation of the blades by the operators hands, whereby this window blind is easier to mount and manipulate than the window blinds at present known, in addition to it being more inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention is described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is an irmer elevation of a window blind constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a partly cut away outer elevation of same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a. vertical cross-section of the window blind on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the blades in their closed position.

Fig. 5 is a section view similar to Fig. 4, showing the blades in their opened position.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view in vertical section of the mechanism for operating the blades on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, said mechanism being shown as locking the window blind in a predetermined position of the blades.

Fig. '7 is a detailed view similar to Fig. 6, showing the blades operating mechanism in its released position to permit movement of the blades. v

Fig. 8 is a detailed view in vertical cross-section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detailed perspective view of the sliding block forming part of the mechanism for op erating the blades.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the blind blades.

Fig. 11 is an elevational perspective view of a modified form of connection of the blades.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a window frame formed by two vertical posts I, an upper head 2, and a lower head 3 adjacent which is attached the blind frame formed by two vertical posts 4, an upper head 5 and a lower head which may be the same though suitably enlarged head 3 of the window frame, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The window blind is formed by a series of blades 6 rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis formed by end central journals 1 rotatably mounted in holes 8 formed in the inner surface of the blind frame vertical posts 1. The blades 6 may be tapered from their inner edge to their outer edge as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which case they are provided with a recess 9 at their outer edge to engage the inner edge of the lower adjacent blade, or the blades 6 may be made of such a cross-section shape that they have almost an equal thickness at their side edges and the outer edge of a blade will completely overlap the inner edge of the adjacent blade, although the overlapping form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is preferable as it increases the blade resistance to fiexion stresses.

The blades 6 are connected to one another by means of a sheet rod l0 vertically laid along one side of the inner face of the blades and provided with a series of lugs or short arms H the ends of which are introduced in slots l2 made in the inner edge of the blades and which are pivotally connected within said slots by means of horizonal pins l3 fixedly secured to both sides of said slots l2.

The whole assembly of blades 6 and connecting rod I0 is operated by means of a mechanism formed by a horizontal stem I4 passing through a vertical slot l5 formed in a side board forming part of an inner frame I6 interiorly attached to the window frame |2-3 and through another vertical slot IS in the covering plate I8 secured by screws IS on said side board l6 about the slot l5. The stem [4 has two side bevelled faces 20 serving as a seat for two side sheet straps 2| which are introduced together with stem I 4 in a horizontal hole 22 formed in the rear plain portion of a slide block 23 represented in Fig. 9, which block is slidably mounted on the edges of the vertical slot l5 at the inner face of the board 16. Said block 23 carries fixed thereto through a vertical hole 24 formed therein and in which the horizontal hole 22 ends, a vertical rod 25 which is slidably mounted through the holes of the horizontal portion of two angular guide plates 26 and 21 secured by screws 28 on the inner face of the side board Hi, the side sheet straps 2| extending into side recesses formed in the vertical rod 25 to be firmly connected with the latter by means of a horizontal pin 29. The block 23 presents at its round front portion a central vertical notch 30 for its pivotal connection, by means of a horizontal pin 3| passing through horizontal holes 32 in the side portions of said notch 30, with the end of a link 33 which is connected at its other end with a central portion of the rod I by means of a horizontal pin 34. The outer end of the stem 14 is integral with an innerly and outerly threaded block 35 on the outer threads of which is threadedly mounted an in, nerly threaded bushing 36 which is integral with the hand bushing 31 in the inner hollow of which is lodged a sleeve 38 through which passes a grooved-head screw 39 screwed at its inner end in the inner threaded hollow of the threaded block 35, the inner hollow of the hand bushing V 31 being closed at the outside by a rain-proof plug 40. The bushing 31 rests on the plate l8 through an intermediate rubber washer 4|.

To operate the window blind with'the mechanism above described, the outer bushing 31 is grasped with the hand and caused to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, whereupon the threaded bushing 36 being integral with same will be unscrewed from the innerly threaded block 35, as indicated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, and as the pressure upon the plate [8 is discontinued, the stem 14 will be free to vertically slide along the slots and I! when manipulated by hand, said stem l4 carrying along with it the block 23 and the vertical rod 25 slidable on fixed guides 26 and 27, together with the link 33 which will pull the rod l0 connecting to gether the blades 8 and cause the latter to rotate on their journals 1 to the desired position in which they will be locked by manually screwing the slide bushing 31 on the innerly threaded bushing 35 until that the pressure exerted by bushing 31 on the plate I8 through the intermediation of washer M will lock the stem [4 and the parts connected therewith in the desired position.

In Fig. 11 is shown a modified form of window blind, wherein the blades 6 are connected together by an inner connecting rod and another outer connecting rod 42, but, if desired, the operating mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7 may be omitted and the blades 6 manipulated directly by hand, as it is done at the present time.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the construction details, particularly in the blades operating mechanism which may even be omitted, without that by this reason it may be considered as altered the essential character of the invention, which is such as claimed hereinafter.

What I claim is:

'A window blind comprising in combination with a window frame, a plurality of louvers, straight pivot pins on the ends of the louvers whereby each louver is pivoted in the window frame, a shifting bar articulated to all of the louvers, an inner frame having lateral boards overlying a portion of the window frame, and a manipulating mechanism comprising a handle guided for rectilinear movement in the lateral board of the inner frame on one face thereof, a block connected to the handle on the opposite face of the inner board, a straight rod to which the block is fixedly connected, means on said opposite face of the inner board for guiding the rod and block in a rectilinear path, and a link pivotally connected to said block and to said shifting bar respectively, said shifting bar, link, block and guiding means being hidden from view behind the lateral board of the inner window frame.

JOSE MANUEL NOVOA. 

